Easy peasy….humans have always been able to communicate among one another even if they could not understand each other’s language. How do you think the first humans roamed this earth? Christopher Columbus used his iPad with some sort of Google translate apps to it?
Apart from audio language people communicate through body language, sign language, sounds of mimicking, monkey faces etc… some still do, just put on your iPod headphones and watch the world go by….u see all the gestures when people communicate? Some societies use these gestures more than others, Italians are the champions of Europe whilst in Asia it’s the Indians… their subtle bob head movement can either mean ‘I understand’ to ‘Seriously??!!’ To ‘Let’s go!!’ To ‘What the….’ I’ve been living among them since I was born and yet I still can’t decipher the code…
People also communicate through a 3rd party language. Have you ever heard an Indian person talking to a Chinese person about the general election in Malay ? Or a Russian immigrant cursing a Afghan immigrant in English on the streets of Brixton? Maybe the reason they are quarelling is because both don’t really understand each other’s English??? Have you seen an Italian talk? Yes I said SEEN not heard… A deaf person would be able to understand Giovanni Fettuchinni by just observing his hand gestures.
So if you are going to another country or region and you are afraid that you may face problems by not being able to speak the local dialect or language…don’t worry … use you phone! And its FREE!!! Use any phone with a camera app. Contrary to popular belief, the camera apps was NOT designed for teenagers to take their own vain pictures pouting their mouths as though a golf ball had just been shoved up where the sun don’t shine…
Here are some of the basic pictures needed to get away from speaking to your host….just show the pics on your phone and they will understand what u need....
Japanese Style
The Stupids
Where is the public phone?
(if you have no signal or international roaming, kinda awkward if the person points to the handphone in your hand huh?)
Where is the bus stop?
What time does the attraction open/close?
Where can I get a bite to eat?
How far is….
Where is….(make sure you plan and research your destination and download some pics of important sites and destinations..)
Is the Police Station nearby?
Post Office?
Subway?
Pharmacy?
Mosque?
Train Station?
River?
Beach?
Cigarette?
Money Changer?
Taxi?
24hr Convenience store?
Modus Operandi:
Just show the picture to the local person who you think would have the patience to assist you
(the uglier you are the less likely they would help…same case all over the world, so if locals won’t help you, you’ve either got a bad photo or you’re just too damn ugly)
It helps to make some basic gestures like point or asking or look there, don’t be too aggressive like a Baboon on Vodka overdose when you come to this stage for they might think that you’re on some sort of illegal drugs….
Eureka! Just imagine you’re a lost and deaf Italian person….
People will generally help …for the ladies, undo a few blouse buttons and there’ll be a bee line of men willing to help…for the men..the same thing only happens in Old Trafford, Manchester….the home of ‘Man United’…get it??
Reminder, If you are lost in France, ask directions in any language you know including gibberish but not English….they tend to walk away if you speak English. Don’t ask me why, I’m neither French nor English…
If you insist in speaking and asking…in English, saying it slowly would help but NOT LOUDLY!!! Who said that these people were deaf??
But if they speak in their mother tongue to you VERY LOUDLY and slowly….don’t be angry….annoying as it may be, please realise that you’re the one that’s lost remember????
I hope this tip helps………now Let’s JOM !!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment